Are you facing challenges head-on?
What do you do when a serious challenge comes up in your life? Do you ignore or avoid it and hope it will go away? Do you worry and fret over it but don’t do anything to solve the problem? Do you procrastinate and then eventually face up to it? Or are you facing challenges head-on as soon as they come up and finding solutions as quickly as you can?
In almost every situation it is better to face your challenges instead of avoiding them or putting off dealing with them.
Over the years I have taken both approaches and, with very few exceptions, things usually get worse the longer I delay in dealing with a problem.
Just recently I had a problem with my website. There was a deadline coming up regarding a change that had to made and I finally took care of it. It was a relief to get everything squared away. But there was one final task I was supposed to take care of before the changes were implemented.
Unfortunately, I got busy that week and I didn’t take care of a very simple action item. As a result, my website was unavailable for almost a week. If you’re a regular listener to The Bible Speaks to You from my website, you may remember that my website was down for several days.
To have my website not working was frustrating enough, but the fact that it could have been avoided if I had done what I was supposed to, just one day sooner, made it worse. And it cost me several hundred dollars to fix what wouldn’t have cost anything if I’d done it sooner.
What the Bible says about facing challenges head-on
So I’ve been thinking about what the Bible says about facing challenges head-on. There are lots of examples in the Bible about people facing their problems. And there are some folks who ran away from their problems as well.
The first story that comes to mind is young David, running to face Goliath.
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 1 Samuel 17:48 NIV
David ran to face Goliath. How often do you and I take that approach of facing challenges head-on?
What gave David the courage to do this? He had experienced God’s presence when he overcame a lion and a bear, which were trying to kill some of his sheep. That gave him confidence to trust God in this situation too. He was depending on God’s help and not just his own abilities.
David facing challenges head-on with wrong motive
Now, this wasn’t always the case with David.
Later in his life, when Nabal refused to provide hospitality to David and his men, David was furious. He definitely was going to face this problem without delay, but he took things into his own hands to solve the problem without consulting God or turning to God for help.
Fortunately, Nabal’s wife, Abigail, acted without delay to resolve the situation. She understood human nature well enough to realize she needed to do something quickly to prevent David from retaliating against her husband.
Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain [about 60 pounds or 27 kilograms], a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 1 Samuel 25:18 NIV
That’s a whole lot of food!
She sent these provisions to David and his men. Her quick response to a serious situation saved the day and kept David from his desire for revenge.
So, yes, it’s important to face challenges and not avoid them, but to react with human pride and retaliate with an injured ego is not really facing challenges head-on. It’s adding fuel to the fire.
Facing challenges indirectly
There were other times in David’s life when he had to face challenges more indirectly. When King Saul became jealous of David and started to threaten his life, it might have looked like David ran away from this problem instead of facing it.
But actually David was escaping from Saul’s efforts to kill him. This is not really running away from a problem. He was getting out of harm’s way. If you have to escape from someone or some situation that’s harmful, that might be your first step in facing challenges head-on.
My sister-in-law had to escape from a toxic marriage. Actually, that was her first step in facing the problem.
Facing challenges head-on with God’s help
David often experienced God protecting him and solving his problems. In fact he acknowledges this in one of his most famous Psalms.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my dwelling will be in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:4-6 NASB 20
David trusted God and God protected him. The more God protected David, the more he trusted in God.
Parallels between David and Jesus
There’s another example from David’s life that has some deeper significance and a parallel with the life of Jesus.
Well into David’s reign as king, and after all sorts of political and family upheaval, David’s son Absalom plots to take the kingdom from his father. David is forced to leave Jerusalem to save his life.
He is not running away from the problem. He’s protecting himself so he can face it at the right time and in the right way.
Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”
The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.
But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. 2 Samuel 15:14, 23, 30 NIV
There’s a whole lot more to this story of how David faced the challenge of Absalom trying to take over the kingdom, and it didn’t turn out the way David wanted. You can read about this in 2 Samuel, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, and Chapter 18.
Headed to the Mount of Olives
Let’s come back to the part of the story where David leaves Jerusalem and crossed the Kidron Valley and goes up to the Mount of Olives crying. Does that sound familiar?
That’s exactly the path Jesus took on the night before his crucifixion.
Jesus had been in Jerusalem with his disciples for the Last Supper. Then he went to the Garden of Gethsemane, which was in the Mount of Olives
When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. John 18:1 NIV
David and Jesus facing challenges head-on
David and Jesus both crossed the Kidron Valley and went to the Mount of Olives. As I said, for David, it may have appeared as an escape, but he was acting strategically so he could deal with the problem better.
In Jesus’s case, he knew exactly what was about to happen. He knew Judas was at that very moment consummating the plot to betray his Teacher.
Jesus could have stayed in the upper room. He could have hidden somewhere. He could have gone the other direction and tried to escape. But instead he went straight to Gethsemane and not just for a quiet place to pray. He went there because he knew he would be easily found by those who wanted to kill him.
It’s impossible for any of us to even to begin to imagine the weight that was on Jesus’s shoulders. He knew what he had to do. And even though he implored God in all earnestness for deliverance from the ordeal of crucifixion, he completely yielded his own personal will to God’s divine plan.
Jesus going directly to Gethsemane to face what was about to happen, reminds me of young David running to face Goliath. They both faced the challenge in front of them.
Crossing the Kidron Valley
Here’s another parallel in John 18:1 between Jesus and David. Just as Jesus went over the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives when his life was threatened, so David crossed Kidron when his life and kingdom were threatened by Absalom.
Kidron is from the Hebrew word “Qidrôwn” meaning “dusky place” from a root word “qâdar:” to be ashy—figuratively, to mourn.
In the Old Testament, it was the place where false idols were burned. Here’s just one example.
King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 2 Chronicles 15:16 NIV
The Kidron Valley was a place where unholy objects were disposed of and burned. It came to represent the destruction of evil ways and the purification of Israel’s religious practices and their loyalty to God.
Facing challenges head-on means crossing the Kidron
When we’re really facing challenges head-on, we too must pass over the Kidron Valley. We have to move beyond mourning and feeling sorry for ourselves because of the challenges we’re dealing with.
We have to burn any false idols we’ve been carrying around, like thinking we can solve our problems on our own or with help other than from God.
We go forward, like Jesus, facing challenges head-on with boldness, trusting God to give us strength and courage, and to put the right words in our mouths and love and forgiveness in our hearts.
Running away from challenges
The Bible also recounts some stories where someone ran away from doing what they were supposed to do, instead of facing challenges head-on. I’m thinking of Jonah.
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to tell the people there to repent. Jonah got on a boat going to Tarshish, which was in the exact opposite direction.
Things didn’t go too well for Jonah. It wasn’t until he was in the fish’s belly that he finally relented and promised God he would do what God wanted him to.
Running away from what God wants you to do is never a good idea. What if Jonah has asked God to help him with his mission, to give him the willingness and the courage to do it, instead of running away from it?
What can you and I learn from Jonah so we don’t make the mistake he did?
As I said earlier , there have been times in my life when I’ve tried to avoid certain responsibilities or problems. But avoiding a problem doesn’t solve it and almost always makes it worse.
Learning to face problems instead of avoid them
Now, sometimes it’s little stuff like dealing with a pile of dirty dishes and not avoiding them any longer. But usually the things we must confront are much more serious. Like someone accusing of us things that aren’t true.
That happened to me a while back and I had to forgive a friend of mine. I did forgive him but God also demanded that I set the record straight and not leave the lie to fester. I didn’t avoid it. I spoke lovingly but firmly to my friend who immediately apologized and we both were blessed.
Sometimes our actions have hurt someone and we need to apologize. If that’s something you’re dealing with, I hope you’ll face this situation and do the right thing as soon as possible instead of avoiding it.
Then there are times when God has called us to a task, but we doubt our ability to perform it or we’re not willing to obey His directions.
God supports you when facing challenges head-on
When you’re facing challenges, God is supporting you to step forth and cross the Kidron Valley. You have to pass over and go beyond the dusky, ashy place of trusting in yourself or something besides God. You have to leave behind your mourning, self-depreciation, self-pity, guilt, and fear to face squarely the task God has given you.
Now you may be thinking: Hey James, that all sounds great but sometimes I feel so far away from God and I’m not sure He can help me.
Well, I know how you feel, I’ve been there too at times. And I’ve always found Psalm 139 really helpful when it seems like I’ve gotten too far away from God.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. Psalm 139:7-12 NIV
God is with you
Wherever you are, whatever situation you’re in, whatever challenge or problem you’re facing, whatever God is calling you to do, God is right where you are, ready, willing, and able to help and heal, protect and guide you.
Nothing can ever separate you from God and His love for you.
When you’re facing challenges that seem overwhelming and you’re tempted to avoid them or delay in dealing with them, it’s so important to remember you are not alone. You don’t have to face or solve the problem all by yourself. In fact, you really can’t solve, really solve, a problem on your own.
Even Jesus admitted he couldn’t do anything without God’s help.
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
I can do nothing on my own. John 5:19, 30 NIV
Jesus understood that
…with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26 NIV
Are you facing challenges head-on or avoiding them?
Is there something God is asking you to do that you’re avoiding? Don’t be afraid. He loves you and has seen the good that’s in your heart and knows you’re able to do all He asks of you.
Are there any Goliaths in your life you need to face? Are you avoiding them, running the other way or facing them boldly?
Take a moment to think about the things God has called you to do. Big or small, it doesn’t matter. Make a list if you need to so you can get a bigger picture of what’s going on and what needs to happen.
Then, pretend like you’re writing a letter to God and ask Him: “How do You want me to do this, God?” or “Show me what to do first.” Something like that. Whatever comes to you.
Then be quiet and listen. And write down whatever comes to you. Then do what God tells you. He will give the willingness, courage, and strength to do it.
Hear God’s promise
I’ll love this promise from Isaiah.
But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Isaiah 43:1-3 NIV
In facing challenges head-on, whatever they may be, big or small, the blessing comes when you rely on God to guide you each step of the way.
_____________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and church mentor. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by learning to think, pray, and love like Jesus. Contact him here.
Make a donation to support the show
Listen and leave a review on
_____________
Bible References
1 Samuel 17:48 NIV
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.
1 Samuel 25:18 NIV
18 Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain [about 60 pounds or 27 kilograms], a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
Psalm 23:4-6 NASB 20
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my dwelling will be in the house of the LORD forever.
2 Samuel 15:14, 23, 30 NIV
14 Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”
23 The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.
30 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.
John 18:1 NIV
1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Chronicles 15:16 NIV
16 King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
Psalm 139:7-12 NIV
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
John 5:19, 30 NIV
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
30 I can do nothing on my own.
Matthew 19:26 NIV
26 …with God all things are possible.
Isaiah 43:1-3 NIV
1 But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
